№ 52, 2024. On the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of START I, PIR Center is pleased to announce the release of Ambassador Yuri Nazarkin’s memoirs, «On the START. On Africa. On Life: Memoirs of a Diplomat»

MOSCOW. DECEMBER 5, 2024. PIR PRESS. «Yuri Nazarkin’s memoirs are an excellent example of the book of an old-school diplomat. It is full of humor and inner freedom. It uniquely illustrates the changes in the culture of the Soviet/Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (as well as the immutability of some features that inhibit development). Apart from vivid sketches of the traveler and notes of the meetings with prominent foreign politicians and diplomats, the author reveals the behind-the-scenes work on disarmament issues. In this respect, Nazarkin’s approaches can be useful to the current generation of negotiators», – Dr. Dmitry Polikanov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo.

Today, December 5, 2024, marks the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I). This landmark agreement was the first in global history to set specific limits on the deployed strategic arsenals of the world’s two largest nuclear powers. The treaty introduced detailed control measures, including inspections and verification procedures, ensuring transparency in the parties’ compliance and fostering conditions for further reductions in strategic arms.

Experts often describe START I as both “unique” and “revolutionary,” as it laid the foundation for strengthening mutual trust between Russia and the United States over the years. Three decades later, the treaty remains a significant symbol of its time, demonstrating how international cooperation can promote stability and bolster global security.

On the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of START I, PIR Center is pleased to announce the release and the start of distribution of Ambassador Yuri Nazarkin’s memoirs, “On the START. On Africa. On Life: Memoirs of a Diplomat” (in Russian). The book is published in collaboration with the “Ves Mir” publishing house and with the support of the Presidential Grant Foundation as part of the PIR Center project “Global Security: A View from Russia for the Youth Around the World.”

Amb. Yuri Nazarkin is a former Russian diplomat and statesman: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the USSR and the Russian Federation, representative of the USSR at the Conference on Disarmament (1987-1989), head of the Soviet delegation to negotiations with the United States on nuclear and space weapons (1989-1991), Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation (1992-1995).

The publication of the new book within the “PIR Library” series is timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of the Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction Treaty, or START-I, which was achieved with the participation of Ambassador Nazarkin as head of the Soviet delegation at the respective Soviet-American negotiations. It was signed on July 31, 1991, and entered into force on December 5, 1994, enduring such significant turmoil as the Soviet Union collapse and the resolution of the issue of the Soviet nuclear legacy.

In his book, the author speaks about his professional development as a Soviet diplomat, the beginning of his diplomatic career, and working on the African continent; he talks about multilateral diplomacy and international negotiations on disarmament issues and shares his experience of participating in Soviet-American talks on nuclear arms control, including the time when he was heading the Soviet delegation during the drafting of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, signed in July 1991. Throughout the book, the author recalls personal life – fascinating adventures, funny childhood and adolescence stories, unforgettable student years, travel trips, and inner emotional concerns and conclusions ruled by a life full of both happy moments and dramatic events.

The book “On the START. On Africa. On Life. Memoirs of a Diplomat” (in Russian) will be insightful for a wide range of readers interested in nuclear nonproliferation and arms control, including the negotiation processes, the diplomatic service, and Russian diplomacy. International relations and global security experts will find it especially valuable.

“I am glad for the opportunity to read the memoirs of my former boss (Geneva, from 1989 to 1991). I would strongly recommend the book by Ambassador Nazarkin to all those preparing for a diplomatic career or who are generally interested in international relations. The book presents the vividly written memoirs of a widely experienced and wise person, which allows us to understand the past and draw conclusions for the future,” – Dr. Dmitry Trenin, member of PIR Center Executive Board; Research Professor at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University; Academic Supervisor, Institute for Global Military Economics and Strategy, HSE University; Leading Researcher at the Section for Non-Proliferation and Arms Limitation of the Center for International Security, IMEMO RAS.

“The memoirs of Ambassador Nazarkin, released by PIR Center, are worth reading to anyone interested in the history of Russian diplomacy, including the hitherto unknown details of negotiations between Moscow and Washington on the arms control issues. Unlike colleagues from abroad, Soviet/Russian diplomats, unfortunately, write memoirs rarely; the more valuable and interesting books, such as Yuri Nazarkin’s memoirs, are,” – Dr. Elena Chernenko, Co-Chair of the Trialogue Club International, Special Correspondent of the Kommersant Daily, member of the PIR Center Executive Board.

Dr. Vladimir Orlov, Founding Director of PIR Center, has recently met with Ambassador Yuri K. Nazarkin, a member of the PIR Center Advisory Board. “I had the honor of meeting with Yuri K. Nazarkin, a distinguished member of the PIR Center Advisory Board. He has signed a copy of his memoirs, which we have just published. Remarkably, Ambassador Nazarkin did it, using the very pen – a golden Parker – that he once used to initial the START I Treaty,” – Dr. Vladimir Orlov shared.

Key words: Oral history; START; Yuri Nazarkin

NPR, HIS, PLS

F4/SOR – 24/12/05